Independence Gift: Tinubu approves ₦25,000 increment for low-grade workers

President Bola Tinubu has approved a wage increment of ₦25,000 for workers in the country as part of efforts to lessen the hardship resulting from fuel subsidy removal.

Tinubu said the provisional wage increment will be paid to workers for the next six months.

The President announced this during his nationwide broadcast in Abuja on Sunday, October 1, 2023, as part of the activities to mark Nigeria's 63rd Independence anniversary celebration.

Tinubu said the average low-grade worker would receive an additional ₦25,000 per month for the next six months.

"Based on our talks with labour, business and other stakeholders, we are introducing a provisional wage increment to enhance the federal minimum wage without causing undue inflation.

"For the next six months, the average low-grade worker shall receive an additional ₦25,000 per month," he said.

This temporary measure will see the national minimum wage of Federal Government workers rise from ₦33,000 to ₦55,00 in the period stated by the President.

Tinubu also reiterated his administration's commitment to relieving the hardship faced by Nigerians, adding that various measures had been taken by all tiers of government to mitigate them.

''There is no joy in seeing the people of this nation shoulder burdens that should have been shed years ago. I wish today's difficulties did not exist. But we must endure if we are to reach the good side of our future.

''We have embarked on several public sector reforms to stabilize the economy, direct fiscal and monetary policy to fight inflation, encourage production, ensure the security of lives and property and lend more support to the poor and the vulnerable.

''To ensure better grassroots development, we set up an Infrastructure Support Fund for states to invest in critical areas. States have already received funds to provide relief packages against the impact of rising food and other prices,'' the President said.

He added that other efforts were being taken by the government to touch all aspects that would impact directly on the lives of Nigerians to ease the pains of the new economic reforms.

The president said that on the issue of transportation, cheaper and safer Compressed Natural Gas buses would be deployed across the country.